“Do you really love me? … Feed my lambs. Do you really love me? …. Feed my sheep” John 21:15ff

At St. Anthony’s Children’s Home we have taken the call to feed Jesus’ sheep and the lambs sincerely. Symbolically the sheep, for us, are the parents or families within communities and the lambs are the children. We feed them with knowledge, nutrition and love, empowering them to build their capacity and strength to once again care for themselves.

Our focus over the past year has been to ensure that the families and children sent to us are safe from harm and protected from abuse, neglect and disease. Sometimes this means that we have had to ensure that children are healed outside of a family context because their home circumstances are not conducive to healing. At other times we are able to offer healing to the family and community where the children belong. We believe that families have the capacity, strength and love to raise their families but sometimes lack the resources to do so. Our call at St. Anthony’s is to enable, empower and develop both families and children to grow as we address the root causes of families in distress.

As we develop our services it has become apparent that we are transforming into a Resource Centre for children and families, where a number of stakeholders participate in this process of healing and development. Like a relay race where the baton is passed from one runner to the next, we work together with various participants to ensure that we “run the good race”(1 Cor 9:24).Through this mutual interaction our children get to know their roots and culture, giving them a sense of belonging and pride.

A special word of thanks needs to be expressed to the host families who offer our children an opportunity to experience family life, their spirit of Ubuntu is always appreciated. The various parishes and religious groups within the Diocese, who support us in various ways, ensure that we are able to “feed the lambs”. Our staff team who are fervently committed to our vision and eagerly respond to God’s call, is always an inspiration to both the children and myself.
We pray for God’s continued guidance as we follow the example of St. Anthony who shared the bread with the poor.

Mbongiseni Petrus Nzuza
Director